Answer:
a. Strong acid, pH = 1.69
b. Strong base, pH = 10
c. Strong base, pH = 11
d. Weak acid, pH = 4.90
e. Strong base, pH ≅ 7 (pH should be higher than 7, but the base is so diluted)
f. Weak base, pH = 10.96
g. Acidic salt, pH = 5.12
h. Basic salt, pH = 8.38
i. Neutral salt, pH = 7
j. Acidic salt, pH < 7
Explanation:
a. HBr → H⁺ + Br⁻
Hydrobromic acid is a strong acid.
pH = - log [H⁺]
- log 0.02 = 1.69
b. NaOH → Na⁺ + OH⁻
Sodium hydroxide is a strong base.
pH = 14 - pOH
pOH = - log [OH⁻]
pH = 14 - (-log 0.0001) = 10
c. Ba(OH)₂ → Ba²⁺ + 2OH⁻
Barium hydroxide is a strong base
[OH⁻] = 2 . 0.0015 = 0.003M
pH = 14 - (-log 0.003) = 11
d. HCN + H₂O ⇄ H₃O⁺ + CN⁻
This is a weak acid, it reacts in water to make an equilibrium between the given protons and cyanide anion.
To calculate the [H₃O⁺] we must apply, the Ka
Ka = [H₃O⁺] . [CN⁻] / [HCN]
6.2×10⁻¹⁰ = x² / 0.25-x
As Ka is really small, we can not consider the x in the divisor, so we avoid the quadratic formula.
[H₃O⁺] = √(6.2×10⁻¹⁰ . 0.25) = 1.24×10⁻⁵
-log 1.24×10⁻⁵ = 4.90 → pH
e. KOH → K⁺ + OH⁻
2×10⁻¹⁰ M → It is a very diluted concentration, so we must consider the OH⁻ which are given, by water.
In this case, we propose the mass and charges balances equations.
Analytic concentration of base = 2×10⁻¹⁰ M = K⁺
[OH⁻] = K⁺ + H⁺ → Charges balance
The solution's hydroxides are given by water and the strong base.
Remember that Kw = H⁺ . OH⁻, so H⁺ = Kw/OH⁻
[OH⁻] = K⁺ + Kw/OH⁻. Let's solve the quadratic equation.
[OH⁻] = 2×10⁻¹⁰ + 1×10⁻¹⁴ /OH⁻
OH⁻² = 2×10⁻¹⁰. OH⁻ + 1×10⁻¹⁴
2×10⁻¹⁰. OH⁻ + 1×10⁻¹⁴ - OH⁻²
We finally arrived at the answer [OH⁻] = 1.001ₓ10⁻⁷
pH = 14 - (- log1.001ₓ10⁻⁷) = 7
The strong base is soo diluted, that water makes the pH be a neutral value.
<u><em>Be careful, if you determine the [OH⁻] as - log 2×10⁻¹⁰, because you will obtain as pOH 9.69, so the pH would be 4.31. It is not possible, KOH is a strong base and 4.30 is an acid pH.</em></u>
f. Ammonia is a weak base.
NH₃ + H₂O ⇄ NH₄⁺ + OH⁻
Kb = OH⁻ . NH₄⁺ / NH₃
1.74×10⁻⁵ = x² / 0.05 - x
We can avoid the x from the divisor, so:
[OH⁻] = √(1.74×10⁻⁵ . 0.05) = 9.32×10⁻⁴
pH = 14 - (-log 9.32×10⁻⁴ ) = 10.96
g. NH₄Cl, an acid salt. We dissociate the compound:
NH₄Cl → NH₄⁺ + Cl⁻. We analyse the ions:
Cl⁻ does not make hydrolisis to water. In the opposide, the ammonium can react given OH⁻ to medium, that's why the salt is acid, and pH sould be lower than 7
NH₄⁺ + H₂O ⇄ NH₃ + H₃O⁺ Ka
Ka = NH₃ . H₃O⁺ / NH₄⁺
5.70×10⁻¹⁰ = x² / 0.1 -x
[H₃O⁺] = √ (5.70×10⁻¹⁰ . 0.1) = 7.55×10⁻⁶
pH = - log 7.55×10⁻⁶ = 5.12
As Ka is so small, we avoid the x from the divisor.
h. CaF₂ → Ca²⁺ + 2F⁻
This is a basic salt.
The Ca²⁺ does not react to water. F⁻ can make hydrolisis because, the anion is the strong conjugate base, of a weak acid.
F⁻ + H₂O ⇄ HF + OH⁻ Kb
Kb = x² / 2 . 0.2 - x
Remember that, in the original salt we have an stoichiometry of 1:2, so 1 mol of calcium flouride may have 2 moles of flourides.
As Kb is small, we avoid the x, so:
[OH⁻] = √(1.47×10⁻¹¹ . 2 . 0.2) = 2.42×10⁻⁵
14 - (-log 2.42×10⁻⁵) = pH → 8.38
i . Neutral salt
BaNO₃₂ → Ba²⁺ + 2NO₃⁻
Ba²⁺ comes from a strong base, so it is the conjugate weak acid and it does not react to water. The same situation to the nitrate anion. (The conjugate weak base, from a strong acid, HNO₃)
pH = 7
j. Al(NO₃)₃, this is an acid salt.
Al(NO₃)₃ → Al³⁺ + 3NO₃⁻
The nitrate anion is the conjugate weak base, from a strong acid, HNO₃ so it does not make hydrolisis. The Al³⁺ comes from the Al(OH)₃ which is an amphoterous compound (it can react as an acid or a base) but the cation has an acidic power.
Al·(H₂O)₆³⁺ + H₂O ⇄ Al·(H₂O)₅(OH)²⁺ + H₃O⁺
